Pelvic floor therapy in Pevely, MO. Pelvic floor causes more than just physical pain; it can impact your self-esteem and happiness. If pelvic floor dysfunction is preventing you from getting back to a favorite activity, starting a family, or just navigating a day with the same confidence and ease as before, pelvic floor physical therapy could be what you need to feel like your best you again. With evidence-backed treatment plans, pelvic floor therapy in Pevely, MO can lead to:

• Improved bladder and bowel control
• Reduced discomfort and swelling
• Enhanced sexual performance and pleasure
• Increased confidence and quality of life

Axes Physical Therapy in Pevely, MO specializes in creating customized treatment plans that gets pelvic floor patients back to the pastimes they love most safely and successfully. If you are interested in learning more about pelvic floor therapy or desire to schedule an appointment with one of our physical therapusts, please contact us online today or reach out to the Axes location nearest you. We’re here to help you regain command and confidence in your pelvic health.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor is the soft tissues and joints that form a supportive hammock-like structure at the bottom of the pelvis. It acts like a “floor” or a foundation for the organs in your pelvis, including the bladder, uterus, urethra, and rectum. The pelvic floor safeguards organs and your spine from external pressure while helping manage several vital functions.

The pelvic floor provides a number of vital functions for the body:

• Helps regulate your bladder and bowels by giving you control over the squeezing and release of muscles
• Supports organs in the pelvis and prevents them from descending
• Resists belly pressure from lifting, coughing, or other activities
• Supports optimal sexual function
• Provides sturdiness and posture to the core and back
• During pregnancy, expands to accommodate a growing fetus and assists in childbirth
• Assists in blood and lymphatic circulation, contributing to maintain healthy tissue

Pelvic Floor Anatomy

The pelvic floor muscles stretch from the tailbone at the back to the pubic bone at the front, while also connecting to the hip bones on each side. These muscles have passageways or passages for the urethra (through which urine is passed), the vagina, and the anus (through which stool is passed).

Think of the pelvic floor as a woven mesh of muscles and tissues that forms a strong foundation, supporting the pelvic organs in place and avoiding them from dropping down. It works like a reinforcing sling to uphold the position and function of pelvic organs.

The main muscles of the pelvic floor are called the levator ani and the coccygeus. The levator ani has three parts: one that wraps around the rectum and assists you to hold in your feces (puborectalis), one that connects the front and back bones of your pelvis and maintains the urethra and rectum (pubococcygeus), and one that connects the side and back bones of your pelvis and supports the organs inside your lower belly (iliococcygeus). The coccygeus connects the side and back bones of your pelvis and works to maintain your pelvis stable.

The pelvic floor muscles have important roles. They aid in regulating the release of urine and stool by contracting and relaxing at the appropriate times and contribute in sexual function and satisfaction by supporting the organs involved in sexual activity. When the pelvic floor is weakened or becomes too tense, it results in pelvic floor dysfunction.

Causes, Signs, and Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Pelvic floor dysfunction is a condition where you have difficulty relaxing and coordinating your pelvic floor muscles for ideal function.

Signs and Symptoms

• Challenges urinating or having bowel movements
• Feeling like your bowel movements are not fully finished
• Leakage of urine or feces
• Often feeling the urge to use the bathroom
• Sensation of needing to push out urine or feces
• Pelvic pain
• Pain during sex
• Erectile dysfunction and trouble ejaculating
• Organ prolapse

Potential Causes

• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Pelvic surgery or trauma
• Obesity
• Aging
• Menopause
• Chronic constipation or straining
• Chronic coughing or sneezing
• Heavy lifting or high-impact exercise
• Psychological factors like stress or emotional trauma
• Nerve damage
• Surgery

Pelvic floor dysfunction can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or physical ability. While it can have a negative impact on your physical, mental, and emotional health, there is hope with professional physical therapy in Pevely, MO. At Axes, we offer an entire team devoted to helping you regain the pleasure of engaging in the pursuits you hold dear most in life.

How Physical Therapy Can Help With Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

If you are suffering from pelvic floor dysfunction, you may feel disappointed, ashamed, or hopeless. But a diagnosis is not the same thing as a permanent condition. With pragmatic treatment plans customized for you by your Pevely, MO physical therapist, you can reclaim control over your life and enjoy a comfortable existence.

Pelvic floor therapy involves exercises that can build strength in, improve flexibility of, or coordinate the pelvic muscles. The positive outcomes of physical therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction in Pevely, MO include:

• Improved pelvic floor muscle strength — Strengthening pelvic floor muscles can aid in improving bladder and bowel control, alleviate symptoms of urinary and fecal incontinence, and provide better support for the pelvic organs.
• Improved pelvic floor muscle coordination — Enhancing coordination supports vitals functioning, such as relaxing and contracting muscles during urination, bowel movements, and sexual activity.
• Pain management — By targeting weaker or more rigid muscles and addressing trigger points, physical therapy can aid in reducing or eradicating the pain you feel caused by pelvic floor dysfunction.
• Pre- and postpartum care — Pelvic floor therapy is frequently advised during pregnancy and following childbirth. It can assist in preparing the pelvic floor for delivery, minimizing the likelihood of after childbirth pelvic floor dysfunction, and facilitating healing from changes and trauma to the pelvic floor related to giving birth.
• Sexual health improvement — By targeting specific muscles and tackling any underlying issues, therapy can boost sexual arousal, climax, and overall sexual health.
• Education and self-management — Your personalized pelvic floor therapy plan won’t just comprise monitored exercises. By offering education and guiding you in techniques you can practice at home, your Axes physical therapist helps you engage actively in your own care and enables you to maintain a way of life that supports pelvic floor health.

At Axes Physical Therapy, we have a team of knowledgeable pelvic floor therapists in Pevely, MO who can support you in enhancing your pelvic well-being and performance. Although certain instances of pelvic floor dysfunction may necessitate operative treatment, the majority of patients in Pevely, MO will likely experience sustained and significant improvement through non-invasive physical therapy methods.

What Pevely, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Involves

Your first pelvic floor therapy session in Pevely, MO will comprise an evaluation of your current pelvic floor condition. The following sessions will focus on implementing your personalized treatment program.

Assessment and Evaluation

The journey of pelvic floor therapy begins with an initial evaluation. In this appointment, your Pevely, MO physical therapist will spend time to understand you and your issues. They will ask about your medical history, lifestyle, and goals. Additionally, they will perform a physical examination and musculoskeletal assessment of your trunk and pelvis to determine your current condition. With your consent, a pre-pelvic floor therapy assessment in Pevely, MO may also involve an internal examination to further assess the muscle strength level. Alternatively, biofeedback sensors can be employed as an alternative to an internal examination.

The assessment and evaluation performed by your physical therapist will aid in determining the potential causes of your pelvic floor dysfunction and support the formulation of an effective treatment plan to assist you in returning to the activities you love.

Pelvic Floor Therapy Treatments and Exercises

Upon reviewing the findings from your assessment and evaluation, your pelvic floor therapist in Pevely, MO will develop a personalized treatment plan customized to your needs. This plan will include specific goals, techniques, and expected outcomes to guide your therapy.

Exercises for Pelvic Floor Therapy

Improving muscle strength and coordination is crucial for any pelvic floor therapy plan. Exercises that may be included in your physical therapy treatment plan in Pevely, MO are:

• Kegel exercises to loosen and engage the pelvic floor muscles
• Diaphragmatic breathing to coordinate your breath with your pelvic floor movement
• Flexibility exercises to increase flexibility in tight muscles
• Resistance exercises to build up weak muscles
• Functional training to incorporate new muscle patterns into daily tasks

The exercises your Pevely, MO physical therapist prescribes for your pelvic floor dysfunction will be different based on your unique needs, but will all be aimed at retraining your body and muscles for optimal health. Depending on your current health and level of pelvic floor dysfunction, exercises may begin with you reclining on your back and progress to seated and standing positions.

Manual Therapy

Manual therapy, such as instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, involves your physical therapist using their hands to put pressure on and massage specific areas of your pelvis. It may include trigger point therapy (releasing tight knots in your muscles), nerve mobilization (freeing up compressed nerves), joint manipulation (improving the mobility of your joints), deep tissue massage (relaxing tense muscles), or skin mobilization (lifting and rolling the skin to reduce adhesions).

Biofeedback Training

Biofeedback training makes use of a device to gauge and display the activity of your pelvic floor muscles on a screen. It help you learn how to regulate and align your pelvic floor muscles by giving you instant feedback on how they contract and release. This feedback helps you better understand understand how to contract and relax the muscles appropriately, optimizing your muscle integration and command.

Behavioral and Lifestyle Modifications

Physical therapy isn’t just a catalog of exercises to complete – it also offers you entrée to expert, science-backed insights that boost your day-to-day life. Your physical therapist may advise you with:

• Alterations to your nutrition
• Fluid control
• Appropriate posture and lifting techniques
• Approaches for managing constipation
• Additional recommendations for a better daily life and lifestyle

Enhancing the exercises and techniques employed in pelvic floor therapy with these modifications promotes improved pelvic floor function and overall well-being.

Other pelvic floor therapy techniques may involve therapeutic ultrasound, electrical stimulation, vaginal dilators, weighted cones, medications, and other alternatives.

Axes Physical Therapy’s Approach to Pelvic Floor Therapy in Pevely, MO

At Axes Physical Therapy, we firmly believe in offering individualized and caring treatment to our patients. Owned and operated by a dedicated physical therapist in Pevely, MO, our practice places our clients at the center and aims to obtain favorable patient results. We realize that pelvic floor dysfunction can pose as a challenging and difficult issue. That’s why we approach every patient with the greatest respect, compassion, and personalized attention.

We also hold the belief in providing evidence-based and integrative care to our patients. We utilize up-to-date research and cutting-edge technology to inform our treatment plans and methodologies. In addition, we offer a range of other physical therapy services that can supplement your pelvic floor therapy, including:

• Orthopedic rehab
• Sports physical therapy
• Neurological physical therapy
• Geriatric physical therapy
• Pre- or post-surgery rehab

If you are interested in trying pelvic floor therapy in Pevely, MO, trust in Axes. We have several convenient physical therapy locations in the Pevely, MO area, all devoted to realizing your optimal pelvic health.

Call Axes Physical Therapy for Your Pevely, MO Pelvic Floor Therapy Today

Don’t let pelvic floor dysfunction to hinder you from being the best version of yourself. At Axes, our devoted physical and occupational therapists in Pevely, MO have a unified mission: returning you to the activities you treasure the most. Whether pelvic floor dysfunction is keeping your participation in your favorite sport or making it difficult to manage your day, we will personalize our physical therapy treatment plan precisely to you and your goals. Schedule an appointment through our website or get in touch with the nearest location to you to commence your rehabilitation with Axes Physical Therapy in Pevely, MO today.